HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Five days following her oldest son's 9th birthday July 4 last year, Tina Cranfill's world fell apart when Logan was diagnosed with leukemia.

"It didn't really hit me at first," said Cranfill. "Not my child."

But as reality set in and trips to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis became a regular occurrence, Cranfill became overwhelmed with her situation. While she and Logan, who has asthma and epilepsy, can stay free at the Ronald McDonald House in Memphis, she still needed gas to get there and food for her other two children, Tyra Cranfill, 12, and Waylon McElyea, 8.

"I've never met someone so amazing and good hearted as Dr. Crim," said Cranfill. "I know he is out there helping many families like ours."

Crim credits his involvement with the foundation to Betty and Philip Bentley, who started the Dr. Frank Crim Compassion Fund for Children with Cancer. It is designed to help with the emotional, psychological and financial needs of families with children who have cancer.

The fund is under the umbrella of the foundation that works with the Huntsville Hospital Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Clinic affiliated with St. Jude in Memphis. The clinic has served 761 patients since opening here in 2007.

An avid golfer, Crim decided to help grow the Compassion Fund by starting a father/son golf tournament in 2009.

"My son and I played in a father/son tournament in Anniston when he was 13 and it really meant a lot to both of us," said Crim.

This year the tournament will also include fathers and daughters and grandfathers and grandchildren in teams playing at The Ledges. It raised $13,000 the first year and $30,000 last year.

"The people at The Ledges, especially Rob Clark and Terry Wilbanks, have been great to work with," said Crim. "We are hoping to attract teams from all over the region, not just Huntsville."

A Huntsville native, Crim attended Huntsville High, Auburn and the University of Alabama in Birmingham dental school before joining the Navy where he was stationed in Memphis for two years. It was there he first became aware of St. Jude Hospital's work with children. When the St. Jude satellite clinic was set up in Huntsville, Crim wanted to be part of its mission to help sick children.

Crim and his wife, Joyce, are the parents of two grown children and three grandchildren. While he said his family has been blessed, he knows many such as the Cranfills have not been as fortunate and he wants to help not just the cancer patients, but their siblings as well.

"Sometimes the siblings get overlooked and it can cause some resentment," said Crim. "We hope to be able to do more for them as the fund grows."

The foundation also provides scholarship money for students who have had cancer and are in need of funds for college.

The Swing "Fore" Children with Cancer Golf Tournament will be Monday, June 20, beginning at 8 a.m. with registration and breakfast at The Ledges golf course. The cost is $250 per two-person team. For more information, call 256-539-4079 or 256-682-7371.